The present invention relates generally to medical devices and methods. In one particular aspect, the invention relates to porous sponge matrix devices and materials which are medically useful, for example, to facilitate hemostasis when applied to or within patient tissues.
As further background, sponge matrix devices have found wide application in the medical (including veterinary) fields. Among other things, sponge matrices have been used to provide hemostasis, and to serve as substrates and/or scaffolds in the delivery of therapeutic chemicals, proteins, nucleic acids or cells to patients.
In one facet of medicine, tissue biopsies are often taken from suspect tissue for diagnostic purposes. A wide variety of core biopsy devices and methods have been proposed, all of which typically excise a volume of tissue from the patient. Such procedures can lead to internal bleeding within the biopsied tissues, both due to the removal of tissue and to the needle tract created to extend the sampling portion of the device to the tissue site from which the biopsy is needed.
In current clinical practice, no measures are taken to try to stop or slow the internal bleeding, and the body is simply allowed to undertake its natural clotting and healing processes. This is perhaps due to the difficulties in treating the affected areas, which are often located in relatively deep tissue of the patient.
Needs exist generally in the medical field for devices, materials and methods for providing treatment of patient tissues, for example tissues from which biopsy samples have been obtained. Such devices, materials and methods, as utilized to treat biopsied tissues, would desirably minimize any further procedure or discomfort to the patient, and would be relatively simple to use. The present invention addresses these needs.